Belle Épine
| Belle Épine | |
|---|---|
Film poster
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| Directed by | Rebecca Zlotowski |
| Produced by | Frédéric Jouve |
| Written by | Rebecca Zlotowski Gaëlle Macé |
| Starring |
Léa Seydoux Anaïs Demoustier Agathe Schlenker Johan Libéreau Guillaume Gouix |
| Music by | Robin Coudert |
| Cinematography | Georges Lechaptois |
| Edited by | Julien Lacheray |
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Production
company |
Les Films Velvet
Moby Dick Films |
| Distributed by | Pyramide Distribution |
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Release date
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Running time
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80 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Budget | €1.5 million |
| Box office | $170,000 |
Belle Épine is a 2010 French drama film and the directorial debut of Rebecca Zlotowski. The film stars Léa Seydoux, Anaïs Demoustier, Agathe Schlenker, Johan Libéreau and Guillaume Gouix. It premiered in the International Critics' Week section at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. It won the Louis Delluc Prize for Best First Film in 2010. It was also nominated for a César Award in the category of Most Promising Actress for Léa Seydoux in 2011.
The nearly 17-year-old Prudence Friedman (Léa Seydoux) is struggling to cope with her mother’s death and her father, similarly upset, has now been in Canada much longer than the 48 hours it should’ve taken to settle his client’s inheritance. Over the phone, Prudence keeps up the pretence that she and her sister are living together in the family apartment but, in reality, Frédérique has moved out, unable to handle the painful memories of their mother’s death there.
The film opens with Prudence and Marilyne Santamaria (Agathe Schlencker) – a girl who goes to the same school as Prudence but doesn’t know her well – being strip-searched by mall security. Prudence manages to get away with a bracelet by hiding it in her underwear. When the girls are released, Prudence watches from behind cover as Marilyne rides off with a group of bikers.
The next day, Prudence finds Marilyne in the mall and trails her to a diner. After Marilyne casually confronts her, Prudence invites the girl back to her apartment. Marilyne enjoys having the run of the apartment, eating the food, messing with the Friedman parents’ possessions and putting her feet, in their worn red heels, all over the furniture. The girls make a deal: Prudence will give Marilyne a key if Marilyne takes her to see the notorious bike races on the Rungis.
The pair’s plans to go to the Rungis are ruined when Frédérique shows up to take Prudence to a dinner with their Jewish extended family, the Cohens. Throughout dinner, Prudence remains quietly agitated, listening distractedly as her effeminate cousin Daniel argues with his devout father, Michel. Later that night, she convinces her cousin Sonia (Anaïs Demoustier) to sneak out with her. Scared of her father’s reaction, Sonia gets off the bus before it reaches the Rungis, leaving Prudence to go on alone and meet up with Marilyne. At the Rungis, she eyes Reynald Coste – a biker she heard on the radio – and his gang with great interest. Marilyne and her boyfriend spend the night at Prudence’s place and the next morning Marilyne reveals to Prudence that she lost her virginity last night.
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